An arrest late this afternoon on Avenue A

Some readers passed along details of an arrest late this afternoon on Avenue A near St. Mark's Place... At first look, one reader thought that an SUV had clipped a man standing near the curb.

"Turns out to have been some sort of arrest/bust ... when we arrived on the scene, the young man was on the ground and not resisting. He was talking and yelling loudly but no apparent physical resistance to the slew of undercover cops who were subduing him ... [a] woman next to me yelled to the young man not to resist because 'they will hurt you.'"

Also.

"Toward the end of the encounter, a youngish guy approached one of the undercover detectives with what looked to be a very large wad of cash, of which another undercover detective took possession."

Headed to Ughters Zers for some chopped liver

First Block Drugs, now Russ & Daughters! All of the great neon in the neighborhood is getting repaired at once...

"Ughters Zers" (Photo via Josh Russ. The neon sign will be fixed.) @ Russ & Daughters instagr.am/p/TFXip_j_Gg/

— Russ & Daughters (@LoxPopuli) December 11, 2012

OK, who put the large dog carrier in this tree on East Sixth Street?

Josie's (and Sophie's and Mona's) co-owner Richard Corton passed these on to us from this afternoon... spotted in a tree near Josie's on East Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...

Sorry to say, we do not know, like, how or why this is in the tree. Perhaps you know? Or have a guess?

Updated:

Oh! Someone just mentioned that this has been up there since Sandy...?

So, moving along... how do we get it down?

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Lafayette Street Sunday morning]

Man struck and killed by L train this morning at 14th and First (AP via the Post)

Eden has more photos and video from the MoRUS opening Saturday (Slum Goddess)

"Representatives of the Landmark Theatre Company told members of Community Board 3 that their plan to sell alcoholic drinks at the Sunshine Cinema offers the only hope of keeping the art house theater at 143 East Houston Street." CB3 not supporting the idea — yet. (The Lo-Down)

Stories of East Village residents rebuilding after Sandy (WNYC)

How East Village resident Jenny Adams helped crowdfund Sandy relief for the neighborhood (NPR)

Yoga to the People on St. Mark's stops offering classes patterned after Bikram Yoga (The New York Times)

Tiengarden on Allen Street closed until February for renovations (BoweryBoogie)

The late, great Movie Star News in Chelsea will soon be home to an upscale bathroom fixtures shop (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Alex returns to the Downtown Music Gallery (Flaming Pablum)

Rebuilding Coney Island (The Wall Street Journal, subscription ID needed)

And introducing Marty Wombacher's Meanwhile, Back in Peoria

Workers arrive on the scene of Claire Forlani's disembodied scotch ad hands

Yesterday, we noted the rather unnerving presence of Claire Forlani's giant billboard hand(s)... on that Scotch ad on Lafayette and Great Jones...

Today, a reader notes that workers have arrived at the scene. But for what reason?

To reattach the hand to the host body? Or hands.

Enjoy these 2 Manhattan views from the Christodora House in 1929

Here is the view to the northwest from the roof of the Christodora House on Avenue B and East Ninth Street circa Feb. 5, 1929. (Click image to enlarge, of course)

[From the Collections of the Museum of the City of New York]

And here's the view to the south toward the Woolworth Building...

[From the Collections of the Museum of the City of New York]

And here is the stately building from the same day...

[From the Collections of the Museum of the City of New York]

The great Samuel H. Gottscho took these photos... and they are via the Museum of the City of New York's website, where you can find many amazing archival photos. Where I'm buying a few things from their archives for holiday gifts.

Updated:

Dave on 7th thinks that the top two photos were taken later than 1929... Perhaps 1931. "That's an almost complete Empire State Building in the middle and it was completed in May of 1931 and the site was excavated in Jan of 1930 (per Wikipedia). So, I think their date is off by two years."

Memories of Tompkins Square Park poster refuses to die

[Bobby Williams, from Dec. 3]

Yes, it has been several days since we last checked in on the poster board thingy in Tompkins Square Park... the one put up by unknown people asking Parkgoers to share their favorite TSP memories. By last Wednesday, the sentiments started to get a little more, uh, salty. Or, as Slum Goddess noted in the comments — like the stalls of the women's bathroom in the Park.

Anyway, we never posted this on Friday morning...

One person claimed that a disgusted parent tore the two posters off the railing.

So by Friday night ...

Then Saturday morning! It was back! (Sort of!)

Then it disappeared. Then, last evening, Bobby Williams emailed me this photo, noting: "Here's old sign refusing to die."

Who knows where it will appear next, and in what form...

As for the memories. Thanks to everyone — Goggla, Chris Flash, John Penley, Gojira, BaHa, DrBOP, Shawn Chittle, Big Gay Ice Cream Man, Marty Wombacher, Andrew Tyndall, among others — for sharing their memories in the comments on the original post.

Previously on EV Grieve:
What's your memory of Tompkins Square Park?

Reader mailbag: Are the new lights too bright at St. Brigid's?

A question from a reader:

Have the obnoxiously too bright lights at St. Brigid's on Avenue B bothered anyone else?

Well, yes — one reader mentioned the "the ludicrously bright lights and ugly fixtures" in this post about the bells of St. Brigid's.

Anyway, the reader understands the deterrent from possible vandalism (and perhaps warding off anyone from sleeping on the front steps) that the lights provide.

"But they are so freaking bright! I wonder if the fact that they're bothering me is my anal-retentiveness coming out ... or I’m guessing I can’t be the only one."

Anyone else with a comment on the lights?

Naked Pizza looking for another location

We've noted a few times that Naked Pizza on East 14th Street near Third Avenue had been closed in recent weeks. Per the NP website, they were going to be on vacation until after Nov. 20. Then! That vacation got extended to after Dec. 4.

There's aren't any messages now for this location, which looks rather unsettled... Their phone is also out of service.

But! We asked NP's Twitter account what was happening...

@evgrieve We're looking for another location . . . stay tuned.

— Naked Pizza (@NakedPizza) December 10, 2012

Tim Hortons will never win this neon-light battle on East Houston

That Tim Hortons-Cold Stone Creamery combo opened recently on East Houston near Ludlow... since then, the Hortoners added an admittedly pretty snazzy neon sign ...

But it's tough to compete in the neon-light category along here...

Rugs and Ugs

At EVG favorite Block Drugs on Second Avenue and East Sixth Street tonight ...

Last Monday!

We took a closer look at the sign on Sunday... the D is in the neon shop for repairs, as a few people noted in the comments or on Facebook...

Report: Cooper Union students end week-long occupation of 8th-floor suite

Per the Free Cooper Union Facebook page:

After seven days in the Peter Cooper Suite, the Students for a Free Cooper Union have left on their own accord, holding a press conference outside the Foundation Building and dancing while Reverend Billy And The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir blesses FREE EDUCATION TO ALL!

The Huffington Post has more on story here. DNAinfo covered the Citywide Student/Faculty Rally on Saturday here. DNAinfo has a report here.

The 11 students also distributed a holiday card...

Previously.

Report: Citi Bike share back on track for a May debut, probably definitely

[File photo by Shawn Chittle]

Superstorm Sandy added another round of delays to the city's long-delayed Bike Share Program. But! The New York Times reports that at least 5,500 bikes at 293 stations will be ready by May.

Bleecker Bob's won't be moving to the East Village — or anywhere else, for that matter

Back in January, our friend Ken Mac at Greenwich Village Daily Photo first had the scoop that venerable Bleecker Bob's Records was closing.

Then we heard that the store hoped to relocate, possibly in the East Village — something in the $4,000 rent range. We scouted some possible locations for them. (Here ... and here.)

As late as September, the store was still looking to move here.

Apparently this won't happen.

As you may have seen at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York or BoweryBoogie this morning, Bleecker Bob's has announced that it is closing for good in early 2013. (Alex noted this yesterday at Flaming Pablum.)

Per the Bleecker Bob's Facebook page:

well, it's SAD NEWS people. don't really know how to say this so here goes.....after 40+ years in existence, BLEECKER BOB'S will be closing!!!! looks like another month or 2 maybe.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[UPDATED] Let's help Bleecker Bob's find space in the East Village

Bleecker Bob's is for rent

A petition to add more willow trees to La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C

In recent years, several of the majestic willow trees were lost in La Plaza Cultural Armando Perez on Avenue C and East Ninth Street. The winds and soaking rain of Hurricane Irene in August 2011 helped to uproot the garden's prized tree.

As Colin Moynihan wrote about the significance of the tree to the neighborhood in The New York Times:

The gardeners who run La Plaza ... staved off several attempts at the garden’s development in the 1980s and ’90s. During those battles, the tall willow was embraced as a symbol of resistance and its likeness appeared on fliers and posters urging neighbors to oppose planned takeovers.

Workers removed one a willow tree in October 2008. Following Superstorm Sandy, workers had to take down part of one of the garden's two remaining willows.

In response, East Village resident Lindsey Kister has launched the following:

This is a petition to replace the weeping willow trees destroyed by hurricanes Irene and Sandy in the East Village community garden, La Plaza Cultural Armando Perez. Community parks and gardens are important cornerstones of the East Village community. The willow trees stood tall for thirty years in La Plaza Cultural and were symbols of resistance and survival. The trees were loved by the community and complimented the unique character of the village ... It is time to replant these trees and reenergize the spirit of the garden.

As Lindsey said, "Once we get 100 signatures, change.org delivers the petition to the various departments listed on the petition. There's no guarantee that the city will respond, but I figured it was worth a shot. Those trees were amazing."

Indeed. Find the petition here.

Previously.

Fern Cliff Delicatessen is closing on Third Avenue

A tipster points out that Fern Cliff Delicatessen on Third Avenue at NYU will be closing... the tipster notes that the shelves are mostly empty...

...and a listing for the space his already appeared... per the flyer, "non cooking food considered." But! "No coffee, pizza or frozen yogurt."

From looking at this photo on the listing, businesses where women can pose like this are apparently welcome...

Look at the Mystery Lot now

Oh, here's our monthly look inside the former Mystery Lot via EVG reader Katja, who took the above-photo on Saturday...

Eventually, one day...

[Via Curbed]

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot likely facing a luxurious end

The last days of the Mystery Lot

A chance for people who shit their pants at least 3 times a month to get some recognition

Been a few months since we checked in on the wall outside The Stone on East Second Street at Avenue C. Been some back and forth with tagging the wall, painting the wall, tagging the wall, etc. In August, this appeared...

... and most recently...

Previously.

DOH temporarily closes Nino's

Late Friday afternoon, we noted that Nino's 2.0 had abruptly closed once again on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place... at the time, we didn't spot the DOH's calling sticker...

The DOH inspector found 86 violation points during a visit on Wednesday. The top 4 listed violations:

1) Hot food item not held at or above 140º F.
2) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
3) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
4) Appropriately scaled metal stem-type thermometer or thermocouple not provided or used to evaluate temperatures of potentially hazardous foods during cooking, cooling, reheating and holding.

Also, as we pointed out in that same post, the 2 Bros. supreme slice joint on St. Mark's Place had reopened... They were closed for renovations following a fire in a nearby apartment in September.

Long-vacant Bowery retail space resorts to scotch ads; Claire Forlani's giant billboard hand terrorizes me

On the Bowery and Bond, the Washington Mutual closed in the corner space back in March 2009. And it has remained empty.

While the space awaits a new tenant, it's now being used to sell some Dewar's...

As AdWeek noted of the tagline, The Drinking Man's Scotch Preferred by English Women with Scottish accents.

And these ads, featuring actress Claire Forlani, give me the creeps. Rather, that GIANT HAND on the billboard on Lafayette and Great Jones gives me the creeps. It's like some B-movie severed hand prop.

But as creepy as Harrison Ford's head...?

[January 2010]

'ALL uses considered' for these two retail spaces on St. Mark's Place

For lease signs arrived for two empty storefronts on St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue... most recently Baoguette Cafe and Timi's Gelateria Classica™ ...

The listings haven't appeared just yet on the Walter & Samuels website...

We're assuming the spaces are destined for some kind of chain or dessert or specialty food shop (like a place that specializes in, say, snail caviar). Or maybe our dream of a shop for buying and trading used cassettes will finally be realized...

Mighty Quinn's looks mighty close to opening

Several readers have noted the progress at Mighty Quinn's, the new slow-smoked BBQ place opening on Second Avenue and East Sixth Street. The sign was unveiled last Thursday here at the former Vandaag space. Nothing official for the opening date, per the various Mighty Quinn social media sites. (Per Facebook: "We're getting very close...") This marks the first "brick and mortar location" of the BBQ food truck favored by the food-truck crowd.

Previously.

At the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting

Some light rain. No big deal. Photos by Bobby Williams.

And here's a video via Janko Puls ... A version of "Rudolph" from The Carolers of Olde New York from Theater for the New City ...



GammaBlog has more photos and video here.